Abortionist Won’t Answer Whether She Supports Abortion Up to Birth

ROBINSON: Thank you for the question. As a medical doctor, I understand that every pregnancy is unique and different. I also understand that patients need to have access to care–  pregnant people, as the pregnancy progresses, and that may be for various reasons.

JOHNSON: Okay, let me ask you. Do you support the right of a woman who is just seconds away from birthing a healthy child to have an abortion?

ROBINSON: I think that the question that you’re asking does not realistically reflect abortion care.

JOHNSON: In that scenario, would you support her right to abort that child?

ROBINSON: I won’t entertain theoreticals.

JOHNSON: It’s not a theoretical, Ma’am. You’re a medical doctor.

ROBINSON: I am a medical doctor, and that has never happened.

JOHNSON: Never happened in your practice, Ma’am, but it happens. How about if a child is halfway out of the birth canal? Is an abortion permissible then?

ROBINSON: Can you repeat your question?

JOHNSON: If a child is halfway delivered out of the birth canal, is it permissible to have an abortion? Would you support the right for an abortion then?

ROBINSON: I can’t even fathom that ever–

JOHNSON: I’m not asking you if you can fathom it. If it occurred, would you support that abortion or not? That’s unrestricted abortion, right?

ROBINSON: I can’t answer a question that I can’t imagine, just like you probably can’t imagine what you would do if your daughter was raped. If it hasn’t happened, it may be difficult for you–

JOHNSON: Okay, you’re not going to answer this question, but how about this one. How does one qualify as fully human? What makes a human being?

ROBINSON: What makes a person a human being is them being born, number one. That’s why we have birthdays, and then also their individual DNA, them having autonomy, being able to act and think–  and live outside of the womb.

JOHNSON: Wait a minute. A newborn child lacks the immediate capacity … to make conscious deliberate choices, so is infanticide okay?

ROBINSON: I think what we’re here to talk about is abortion care. What you’re describing is something that is already illegal, and there are laws on the books for that. So I’m not a proponent–

JOHNSON: So you understand if Dobbs is handed down, the states will be able to make that decision, and there are some that will go that far. You need to be aware of what we’re talking about today. I’m out of time. I yield back.

ROBINSON: There are laws on the book for that.

CHAIRMAN NADLER: The gentleman’s time has expired. The witness may answer the question.

ROBINSON: In the instance that he’s describing, there are already laws on the books for that, and those are criminal acts, and so I’m not a proponent of any additional restrictions on people being able to access abortion care. I’m a proponent of us just enforcing the laws that are already on the books.

JOHNSON: But what if the laws change to allow for that?

CHAIRMAN: The gentleman’s time has expired.